The present invention relates to automated saws.
In operator actuated defecting or cut off saws which typically include a rotating saw blade movable on a carriage to sweep transversely across a board held by a support platform, in order to meet safety requirements typically a pair of spaced hand-operated switches are provided. These switches actuate the saw only when both switches are held down by the operator thereby removing the operator's hands and arms from the immediate sawing area.
Prior art saws of this type, however, permit the operator to defeat the safety feature by, for example, taping one of the switches in a closed position and operating the remaining switch. This, of course, leaves one of the operator's hands free which although facilitating speedier operation of the saw by rapidly feeding of boards into the sawing area, greatly increases the hazard of operation. Further with such prior art saws once the operator actuated switches are depressed, the saw blade proceeds to the end of its travel actuating a limit switch which returns the blade to its starting position. This occurs regardless of the width of the board being cut or whether or not the operator has removed his hands from the push button switches. Such an arrangement proves to be an additional safety hazard by not permitting immediate reversal of the saw blade motion as well as wasting energy since the saw blade frequently continues operation over a distance unnecessary to cut a board.